The Horses of Chinoteague

Back in the 1950's when I was a horse crazy, young girl, I read a book that I never forgot.  Misty of Chinoteague, written in 1947, quickly became a children's classic.  The horses that live on this island off Virginia are a tough breed.  They are long feral descendants of domesticated livestock.  They are stocky and have a long coat in the winter, to protect them from the harsh climate.

Recently, many horses from Chinoteague have died.  They have contracted a fungus like infection in their hoofs and legs, probably from stepping on contaminated wetlands.  The malady they have contracted is pythiosis, caused from stepping in water carrying fungus like organisms.  It is sometimes called swamp cancer.  If it is not caught early, they will die.  Pythiosis has been seen on the island before, but rarely.  It has also been seen in Florida, but it is becoming more common in higher latitudes.  The disease is potentially a serious threat to the 150 beloved ponies that run loose.

The horses of Chinoteague play a cultural and economic role in the area.   They have been there for centuries.  The horses run loose most of the year, but three times a year they are rounded up and receive veterinary care.  Once a year, they cross the island, with tens of thousands of onlookers. The crossing is viewed by many visitors, and contributes to the economics of the area.  Some of the horses are sold off each year to avoid overpopulation.  The 150 horses have over 4,000 acres on which to run free.  What a beautiful sight it must be to see these magnificent animals in the habitat they were made for, living as they were meant to, free.  I hope modern medicine can find a way to protect this herd from potential extinction.